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to spare。 You have heard my opinion。 I hold to it。〃
Herr Grosse took a pinch of snuff。 〃I also；〃 he said； 〃hold to mine。〃
Lucilla turned towards the place from which Mr。 Sebright had spoken。
〃I am obliged to you； sir； for your opinion；〃 she said； very quietly and
firmly。 〃I am determined to try the operation。 If it does fail； it will
only leave me what I am now。 If it succeeds； it gives me a new life。 I
will bear anything； and risk anything； on the chance that I may see。〃
So； she announced her decision。 In those memorable words； she cleared the
way for the coming Event in her life and in our lives； which it is the
purpose of these pages to record。
Mr。 Sebright answered her； in Mr。 Sebright's discreet way。
〃I cannot affect to be surprised at your decision；〃 he said。 〃However
sincerely I may regret it； I admit that it is the natural decision； in
your case。〃
Lucilla addressed herself next to Herr Grosse。
〃Choose your own day；〃 she said。 〃The sooner； the better。 To…morrow； if
you can。〃
〃Answer me one little thing； Miss；〃 rejoined the German； with a sudden
gravity of tone and manner which was quite new in our experience of him。
〃Do you mean what you say？〃
She answered him gravely on her side。 〃I mean what I say。〃
〃Goot。 There is times； my lofe； to be funny。 There is also times to be
grave。 It is grave…times now。 I have my last word to say to you before I
go。〃
With his wild black eyes staring through his owlish spectacles at
Lucilla's face； speaking earnestly in his strange broken English； he now
impressed on his patient the necessity of gravely considering； and
preparing for； the operation which he had undertaken to perform。
I was greatly relieved by the tone he took with her。 He spoke with
authority： she would be obliged to listen to him。
In the first place； he warned Lucilla； if the operation failed； that
there would be no possibility of returning to it； and trying it again。
Once done； be the results what they might； it was done for good。
In the second place； before he would consent to operate； he must insist
on certain conditions； essential to success； being rigidly complied with；
on the part of the patient and her friends。 Mr。 Sebright had by no means
exaggerated the length of the time of trial which would follow the
operation； in the darkened room。 Under no circumstances could she hope to
have her eyes uncovered； even for a few moments； to the light； after a
shorter interval than six weeks。 During the whole of that time； and
probably during another six weeks to follow； it was absolutely necessary
that she should be kept in such a state of health as would assist her；
constitutionally； in her gradual progress towards complete restoration of
sight。 If body and mind both were not preserved in their best and
steadiest condition； all that his skill could do might be done in vain。
Nothing to excite or to agitate her； must be allowed to find its way into
the quiet daily routine of her life； until her medical attendant was
satisfied that her sight was safe。 The success of Herr Grosse's
professional career had been due； in no small degree； to his rigid
enforcement of these rules： founded on his own experience of the
influence which a patient's general health； moral as well as physical；
exercised on that patient's chance of profiting under an operationmore
especially under an operation on an organ so delicate as the organ of
sight。
Having spoken to this effect； he appealed to Lucilla's own good sense to
recognize the necessity of taking time to consider her decision； and to
consult on it with relatives and friends。 In plain words； for at least
three months the family arrangements must be so shaped； as to enable the
surgeon in attendance on her to hold the absolute power of regulating her
life； and of deciding on any changes introduced into it。 When she and the
members of her family circle were sure of being able to comply with these
conditions； Lucilla had only to write to him at his hotel in London。 On
the next day he would undertake to be at Dimchurch。 And then and there
（if he was satisfied with the state of her health at the time）； he would
perform the operation。
After pledging himself in those terms； Herr Grosse puffed out his
remaining breath in one deep guttural 〃Hah！〃and got briskly on his
short legs。 At the same moment； Zillah knocked at the door； and announced
that the chaise was waiting for the two gentlemen at the rectory…gate。
Mr。 Sebright rosein some doubt； apparently； whether his colleague had
done talking。 〃Don't let me hurry you；〃 he said。 〃I have business in
London； and I must positively catch the next train。〃
〃Soh！ I have my business in London； too；〃 answered his
brother…oculist〃the business of pleasure。〃 （Mr。 Sebright looked
scandalized at the frankness of this confession； coming from a
professional man）。 〃I am so passion…fond of musics；〃 Herr Grosse went
on〃I want to be in goot times for the opera。 Ach Gott！ musics is
expensive in England！ I climb to the gallery； and pay my five silver
shillingses even there。 For five copper pences； in my own country； I can
get the same thingonly better done。 From the deep bottoms of my heart；〃
proceeded this curious man； taking a cordial leave of me； 〃I thank you；
dear madam； for the Mayonnaise。 When I come again； I pray you more of
that lofely dish。〃 He turned to Lucilla； and popped his thumb on her
eyelids for the last time at parting。 〃My sweet…Feench； remember what
your surgeon…optic has said to you。 I shall let the light in herebut in
my own way； at my own time。 Pretty lofe！ Ah； how infinitely much prettier
she will be； when she can see！〃 He took Lucilla's hand； and put it
sentimentally inside the collar of his waistcoat； over the region of the
heart； laying his other hand upon it as if he was keeping it warm。 In
this tender attitude； he blew a prodigious sigh； recovered himself； with
a shake of his shock…head； winked at me through his spectacles； and
waddled out after Mr。 Sebright； who was already at the bottom of the
stairs。 Who would have guessed that this man held the key which was to
open for my blind Lucilla the gates of a new life！
CHAPTER THE THIRTY…SECOND
Alas for the Marriage！
WE were left together； Nugent having accompanied the two oculists to the
garden…gate。
Now that we were alone； Oscar's absence could hardly fail to attract
Lucilla's attention。 Just as she was referring to him in terms which made
it no easy task for me to quiet her successfully； we were interrupted by
the screams of the baby； ascending from the garden below。 I ran to the
window； and looked out。
Mrs。 Finch had actually effected her desperate purpose of waylaying the
two surgeons in the interests of 〃baby's eyes。〃 There she was； in a skirt
and a shawlwith her novel dropped in one part of the lawn； and her
handkerchief in the otherpursuing the oculists on their way to the
chaise。 Reckless of appearances； Herr Grosse had taken to his heels。 He
was retreating from the screeching infant （with his fingers stuffed into
his ears）； as fast as his short legs would let him。 Nugent was ahead of
him； hurrying on to open the garden…gate。 Respectable Mr。 Sebright
（professionally incapable of running） brought up the rear。 At short
intervals； Mrs。 Finch； close on his heels； held up the baby for
inspection。 At short intervals； Mr。 Sebright held up his hands in polite
protest。 Nugent； roaring with laughter； threw open the garden…gate。 Herr
Grosse rushed through the opening； and disappeared。 Mr。 Sebright followed
Herr Grosse； and Mrs。 Finch attempted to follow Mr。 Sebrightwhen a new
personage appeared on the scene。 Startled in the sanctuary of his study
by the noise； the rector himself strutted into the garden； and brought
his wife to a sudden standstill； by inquiring in his deepest base notes；
〃What does this unseemly disturbance mean？〃
The chaise drove off； and Nugent closed the garden…gate。
Some words； inaudible to my ears； passed between Nugent and the
rectorreferring； as I could only suppose； to the visit of the two
departing surgeons。 After awhile； Mr。 Finch turned away （to all
appearance offended by something which had been said to him）； and
addressed himself to Oscar； who now reappeared on the lawn； having
evidently only waited to show himself； until the chaise drove away。 The
rector paternally took his arm； and； beckoning to his wife with the other
hand； took Mrs。 Finch's arm next。 Majestically marching back to the house
between the two； Reverend Finch asserted himself and his authority
alternately； now to Oscar and now to his wife。 His big booming voice
reached my ears distinctly； accompanied in sharp discord by the last
wailings of the exhausted child。
In these terrible words the Pope of Dimchurch began：〃Oscar！ you are to
understand distinctly； if you please； that I maintain my protest against
this impious attempt to meddle with my afflicted daughter's sight。Mrs。
Finch！ _you_ are to understand that I excuse your unseemly pursuit of two
strange surgeons； in consideration of the state that I find you in at
this moment。 After your last confinement but eight you became； I
remember； hysterically irresponsible。 Hold your tongue。 You